CL minimum wage at P336/day

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO–Effective October 11, Thursday, the minimum wage in Central Luzon will be P336 per day for establishment with total assets of P30 million or more.

Board Attorney Roy Eliaga of the Department of Labor and Employment Region 3 (DOLE3) said that this rate covers all the seven provinces of Region 3, which are Pampanga, Bulacan, Bataan, Zambales, Nueva Ecija, Aurora, and Tarlac.

Eliaga explained that under this minimum wage rates, the P24 cost of living allowance (COLA) under wage order No. RBIII-16 is already integrated to the basic pay, plus P6 per day, of all covered workers in the Region except those belonging to the establishments with total assets of less than P30 million, who shall receive an additional of P6.50.

In the order, DOLE has classified three sectors which are Non-Agriculture, Agriculture, and Retail or service.

Under the non-agriculture, establishment with total assets of P30 million or more, an employee shall receive a P336 basic pay a day, while assets of less than P30 million, P329 – this is for the six provinces in Central Luzon except for Aurora, which minimum wage rate is P285.

Under Agriculture, including plantation, P306; and non-plantation, P290– for Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, and Zambales workers; while P270 and P258, respectively, for Aurora province.

Meanwhile for retail or service, with 16 or more workers – P325, and with less than 16 workers – P311, for both six provinces; and, P215 in Aurora.

Moreover, Eliaga disclosed that “this new wage rate shall apply to minimum wage earners or workers and employees in the private sector in Region III regardless of position, designation, or status of employment and irrespective of the method by which their wages are paid.”

He also emphasized that not covered in the said wage order are household or domestic helpers and persons employed in the personal service of another including family drivers and workers of Barangay Micro Business Enterprises with Certificate of Authority, pursuant to Republic Act 9178.

“The wage increase prescribed under the wage order shall be for the normal working hours, which shall not exceed eight hours a day. All workers paid by results, including those who are paid on piecework, ‘takay,’ ‘pakyaw,’ or task basis, shall be entitled to receive the prescribed increase in this order per eight hours a day, or a proportion thereof for working less than eight hours,” Eliaga said. ●–Joelyn Baluyut